EyePod

In this episode of the Ophthalmology Times® "Beyond the Walls" podcast, host Deborah Ristvedt, DO, sits down with Priya Mathews, MD, a cornea, cataract, and refractive surgeon, dry eye expert, and educator, to explore the experiences and passions that have shaped her career and her approach to patient care.

Mathews shares how a mentor sparked a lifelong commitment to dry eye care — a patient population she felt was historically underserved. She discusses building a dedicated dry eye rehab clinic, why treating the ocular surface is essential for premium cataract outcomes, and how her 15-year yoga practice has woven itself into her vision for whole-patient care. From navigating early career self-doubt to designing a practice built around purpose, Mathews offers an honest and inspiring look at what it means to follow your calling in medicine.

Check out more episodes of Beyond the Walls at https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/podcasts/beyond-the-walls

#Ophthalmology #EyeCare #BeyondTheWalls #DryEye #OcularSurface #WomenInOphthalmology #Podcast #OphthalmologyTimes

Episode 2 of OT Roundup is here. Lucia Gambuzza and co-host Veeral Sheth, MD, break down 4-year durability data for MOGENRY in retinitis pigmentosa, RCA's first State of Retina Care report, the FDA's upcoming review of SYD-101 for pediatric myopia, and new Phase 2 data on OCU410 for geographic atrophy.

MOGENRY 4-year data: https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/retina-society-2026-mco-010-optogenetic-therapy-maintains-visual-acuity-gains-through-4-years-in-advanced-rp

RCA's State of Retina Care report: https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/rca-releases-first-state-of-retina-care-report

FDA Advisory Committee on SYD-101: https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/fda-advisory-committee-syd-101-pediatric-myopia-october-30

Nimesh Patel, MD on pediatric progressive myopia: https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/pediatric-progressive-myopia-epidemic-permanent-vision-loss

OCU410 Phase 2 data: https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/retina-society-2026-medium-dose-ocu410-gene-therapy-cuts-geographic-atrophy-progression-up-to-32-in-phase-2-trial

Eichenbaum Acorns is an editorially independent series powered by Modern Retina and hosted by David A. Eichenbaum, MD, FASRS, partner and director of research at Retina Vitreous Associates of Florida. This podcast series explores the overlooked corners of the retina profession through candid conversations with thought leaders. Eichenbaum is the Yiddish word for oak tree, and the aim of this series is to plant acorns of insight that grow into oaks of understanding.

In this episode, Eichenbaum speaks with two longtime friends and retina drug-development veterans: Andrea Gibson, PhD, executive vice president of medical collaborations at Ocular Therapeutix, and Erin C. Henry, PhD, AVP of Ophthalmology, General and Specialty Medicine, Value and Implementation, Global Medical and Scientific Affairs at Merck Research Labs.

Grab a seat for this one — it's part reunion, part masterclass. Gibson and Henry were there at the dawn of anti-VEGF therapy, trading stories from the front lines of a field that changed medicine forever, and 20 years later, they're still just as obsessed with the science. They swap laughs about "stumbling into" careers nobody could have mapped out for them, get real about the mentors who doubted the move to industry, and issue a challenge to the field: stop letting the next generation stumble in the same way they did. Equal parts nostalgia, candor, and a rallying cry for what comes next.

Check out more episodes of Eichenbaum Acorns, powered by Modern Retina, at https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/podcasts/eichenbaum-acorns

In this latest episode of the Ophthalmology Times® “Beyond the Walls” podcast, host Deborah Ristvedt, DO, sits down with Alison D. Early, MD, a cataract and refractive surgeon, innovator, and entrepreneur at Signature Cataract and Laser Consultants in Cincinnati, Ohio, to explore the personal turning point that led Early to step away from the security of a large multispecialty practice and build a practice of her own.

The conversation covers the galvanizing patient encounter that changed Early’s trajectory, her philosophy of human-centered care, and her advice to surgeons navigating the early stages of their careers.

Check out more episodes of Beyond The Walls at
https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/podcasts/beyond-the-walls

#Ophthalmology #EyeCare #BeyondTheWalls #PrivatePractice #WomenInOphthalmology #PatientExperience #Entrepreneurship #OphthalmologyTimes

Eichenbaum Acorns is an editorially independent series powered by Modern Retina and hosted by David A. Eichenbaum, MD, FASRS, partner and director of research at Retina Vitreous Associates of Florida. This podcast series explores the overlooked corners of the retina profession through candid conversations with thought leaders.

In this episode, Eichenbaum speaks with David J. Tanzer, MD, ABO, chief medical officer (CMO) at Lexitas Pharma Services, Inc., about a career that travels from the cockpit through clinical practice to the boardroom. A former US Navy flight surgeon turned three-time CMO, Tanzer shares how a chance rotation in San Diego led him into ophthalmology, why he still misses hands-on patient care, and what advice he'd give physicians considering a path beyond pure clinical medicine.

Check out more episodes of Eichenbaum Acorns, powered by Modern Retina, at https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/podcasts/eichenbaum-acorns

In this episode of the Ophthalmology Times® "Beyond The Walls" podcast, host Deborah Ristvedt, DO, sits down with colleague John P. Berdahl, MD, of Vance Thompson Vision, to explore the personal story behind a career defined by curiosity, persistence, and a commitment to giving back.

Berdahl shares formative childhood experiences, early struggles in medical school, and the defining moments that shaped his path in ophthalmology. He discusses the innovations that have marked his career, including OPAP, a negative pressure goggle system for glaucoma, and a free toric IOL rotation calculator used by thousands of surgeons each month. He also speaks candidly about a high-profile business failure, the resilience it took to recover, and what he has learned about leadership along the way.

The conversation closes with reflections on mentorship, family, and legacy — and what it truly means to give more than you take.

Check out more episodes of Beyond The Walls at
https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/podcasts/beyond-the-walls

#Ophthalmology #EyeCare #BeyondTheWalls #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #Mentorship #Podcast #OphthalmologyTimes

Eichenbaum Acorns is an editorially independent series powered by Modern Retina and hosted by David A. Eichenbaum, MD, FASRS, partner and director of research at Retina Vitreous Associates of Florida. This podcast series explores the overlooked corners of the retina profession through candid conversations with thought leaders. Eichenbaum is the Yiddish word for oak tree, and the aim of this series is to plant acorns of insight that grow into oaks of understanding.

In this episode, Eichenbaum speaks with Caroline R. Baumal, MD, recently chief medical officer (CMO) of Apellis Pharmaceuticals, about a career that has moved between clinical practice, academic medicine, imaging research, and industry leadership—and what she has learned along the way.

Check out other episodes of Eichenbaum Acorns, powered by Modern Retina.